Placer-machine



' (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheetl.

H. A. WALKER. PLACER MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 28, 1896.

dH dL (N0 Model.) I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. A. WALKER.

PLACER MACHINE.

No. 553,817. Patented Jan. 28, 1896.

INVENTOR W/ken ATTORNEY (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. H. A. WALKEILf F PLACER MACHINE.

No. 553,817, I Patented Jan. 28,1896.

31w INVENTOR ATTORNEY AN DREW RGRAMAM,PHOTGLITNQWABHINGTON. D I)v (No Model.) I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

- H. A. WALKER.

PLACER MACHINE.

No. 553,817. Patent-ed Jan. 28, 1896.

.m. w a",

v I -f7e. 20.

am va wlioz ANDREW EGRAFIAM. PHDTO-UTNO. WASHINGTON. DC

' adapted to discharge thereinto.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. VALKER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

PLACER-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,817, dated January 28, 1896.

Application filed October 26,1894. Serial No. 527,016. (No model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. WALKER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Placer-Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in concentrators or placer-machines specially designed for treating placer material; and it consists of the features, arrangements and combinations hereinafter described and claimed, all of which will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken through the center thereof. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the same. Fig. ais a cross-section taken on the line so 00, Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective illustrating the gate for controlling the discharge from the sluice into the concentrating-box. Figs. (3 and 7 are detail views, 011 a larger scale, illustrating the hangers supporting the concentrating-box. Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken on the line a: :23, Figs. 1 and 2, showing a modified form of construction. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken through the center of the same. Fig. 10 is a cross-section taken on the line 3 y, Figs. 1 and 2, and showing the modified form of construction. Fig. 11 is a plan view in detail of the concentrating-box, showing the form of box used with the construction illustrated in Figs. 8, 9, and 10. Fig. 12 is a plan view in detail of the auxiliary box attached to the concentrating-box. Fig. 13 is a similar view of a pan located below the concentrating-box and adapted to receive the discharge from the auxiliary box. Fig. let is a fragmentary side View of the concentratingbox shown in connection with a cylindrical reservoir arranged at the end of the box and Fig. 15 is a perspective view in detail of the cylindrical reservoir shown in the previous figure. Fig. 16-is a vertical cross-section taken through the sluice on the line 2 2, Figs. 1 and 3, showing the construction used in connection with the modification shown in Figs. 14 and 15. Fig. 17 is a horizontal section taken on the line 17 c, Fig. 16. Fig. 18 is a section taken on the line 8 s, Fig. 10, looking toward the right. Figs. 19 and 20 are detail views.

Similar reference-characters indicating corresponding parts or elements in these views, let the numeral 5 designate a stationary framework to which is attached a sluice-box 6. (Shown slightly inclined downward from the left toward the right, referring to Figs. 1' and 2.) At the lower end of this sluice-box is located a breast water-wheel '7 adapted to receive the water discharged from the end of the sluice. The function of the water-wheel is to propel the operating parts of the mechanism, though it must be understood that any other suitable propelling mechanism may be employed.

Extending downward from the lower extremity of the chute is a casing 8 curved to conform to the circumference of the waterwheel and adapted to confine the water,whereby the entire discharge is utilized or made to act on the water-wheel. The water-wheel is suitably journaled in the rear part of the stationary frame.

There is an opening 6 in the bottom of the sluice in which are inserted the longitudinal grate-bars 9 forming a coarse screen adapted to reject the coarser portion of the gangue. The extremities of these bars engage recesses formed in the bottom of the sluice at the extremities of the opening. Hence the bars may be readily removed when for any reason it may be necessary or desirable so to do. This is an important feature, since if the grate becomes clogged it can be cleared more read ily by removing the bars than by any other method. The recesses in the bottom of the sluice for the reception of the grate-bar extremities may be opened at the top at one end of the opening and closed at the top of the other end of the opening. The grate-bars are shoved endwise into the last-named recesses. Below the grate is located a false bottom 10, whose inclination is slightly greater than that of the sluice'box. The lower extremity of this false bottom terminates in a depending vertical plate while a small plate 6 is attached to the bottom of the box and located a short distance to the rear of the plate 10. The space between the sluice and the false bottom is closed by suitable side pieces forming a sort of chute. The plates 10 and 6, together with suitable end pieces, form a mouth for this chute. In this month is located a valve or gate 1%, which is hinged to the plate 10 and controlled by a crank 12, to which is pivoted a ratchet-arm 13 adapted to engage a pin on one side of the sluice-box. This gate is adapted to control the discharge of material from the sluice -box into the concentrating-box 15 supported below the sluice and arranged transversely to the latter. The bottom of the concentrating-box is lowest at the center and gradually increases in height toward the discharge extremities which are open. The pulp is discharged from the mouth at the lower extremity of the false bottom with considerable force into the lowest part of the concentratingbox. The agitation of the pulp resulting from this discharge prevents the gangue from clogging or packing in the box and causes it to flow over the ends thereof, while the mineral is allowed to pass through the pulp and settle in the bottom of the box.

To the bottom of the box 15 and arranged crosswise thereof are attached two bars 16 which project a suitable distance on either side of the box. To these projecting extremities of the bars 16 are pivoted the lower extremities of the depending supporting-rods 17 whose upper extremities are pivoted 011 bars 18 made fast to the top of the sluice. In the path of the projecting extremities of the bars 10 and made fast to the vertical bars of the frame are the rubber bumpers 19, which limit the movement of the box from side to side and subject the box to the necessary vibration for the proper separation of the material fed to the box.

As heretofore intimated the concentrating-box has a lateral movement or a movement in a direction at right angles to its length. This movement is imparted from a shaft 20 having a crank-arm 21, to the wrist of which is connected a pitman 22. The opposite extremity of the pitman is attached to a bar 23 made fast to the central portion of the bottom of the box. The shaft 20 carries a fly-wheel 21. Motion is imparted to the shaft from the water-wheel,which is provided with a pulley 25 connected by a belt 27 with a pulley 26 on the shaft 20. The operation of the machine as thus far described will be readily understood. The sluice-box 6 may be connected with a line of sluice of any desired length, whereby the rocky portion of the gangue is thoroughly washed and all the mineral separated therefrom by the action of the water before the pulp reaches the gratebars 9. By means of these bars the coarser and rocky portion of the gangue is divided from the mineral and finer part of the gangue which pass through the bars to the false bot tom 10 and thence into the concentrating-box 15. The remainder of the water, together with the coarse worthless part of the gangue, is discharged from the sluice-box upon the water-wheel 7, whose resulting action imparts the lateral movement to the concentrating-box through the agency of the pulleys 25 and 26, the belt 27, the shaft 20 and the pitman 22. This movement of the box from side to side, wherebyit engages the bumpers, precipitates the metal to the central lower part of the bottom of the box and causes the gangue to flow over the extremities of the bottom of the box which are open. Though the box 1.5 is called a concentrating-box mercury may be used therein, if desired, for the purpose of facilitating the saving of the fine gold carried by the pulp.

In case it should be found that some fine mineral escapes from the extremities of the box 15, a cylindrical reservoir 28 (see Fig. 15) may be placed at either end of the box and connected by means of a hose-pipe or other suitable conduit 29 with the sluice whereby water is discharged into the reservoir which is provided with a mouth or elongated opening turned toward the box and adapted to discharge a sheet of water into the pulp. This sheet of water strikes the pulp near the mouth of the box and has a tendency to settle or drive back any mineral which might otherwise escape with the gangue.

In order that only water may pass from the sluice into the conduit 29, a filtering device (see Figs. 16 and 17) is employed. This consists of a box 30 attached to one side of the sluice which has an opening equal to the length of the box 30. At this opening and adapted to separate the sluice from the box v3O is placed a screen 31 of a mesh adapted to screen or filter the water so that it will pass freely through the conduit 29.

In the modified form of construction shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10' an auxiliary receptacle 32 is attached to the box 15 and located below the same. The extremities of the receptacle 32 extend outward a short distance beyond the corresponding ends of the box 15 to allow the material to pass from the box into the receptacle. In order to exclude any coarse material which may have found its way into the box 15 the space between the extremities of the box and the receptacle is covered with short bars 33, attached to the extremities of the box 15. The bottom of the receptacle 32 is inclined from its extremities toward the center,which is provided with an opening 32. The inclined bottom of the receptacle is covered with amalgamatedplates 32, adapted to catch the flue mineral which may escape from the box 15. Below the receptacle 32 is located a pan 3%, supported on legs 35, pivoted to the pan at one extremity and to the stationary frame at the opposite extremity, whereby the pan is allowed to move freely. The bottom of this pan is covered with a carpeting 36 or other similar fibrous material adapted to catch the very fine mineral in its meshes. The opening 32 in the receptacle 32 is located directly above the center of the pan 34. Consequently all the material which escapes from the receptacle falls into the pan. Motion is imparted to the pan 34 from a shaft 37, having a crank 37 to which is attached one extremity of a pitman 38, the other extremity of the pitman being connected with a bar 34, attached to the center of the pan. The shaft 37 is actuated from the shaft 20 through the agency of a belt 39, connecting pulleys on the respective shafts. To the opposite sides of the'pan are attached coil-springs 40, the opposite extremities of the springs being attached to the stationary framework.

In order to obtain satisfactory results from the use of the pan 34, it is necessary that its movement be much quicker than that of the box above; otherwise the sand or fine gangue as well as the mineral might settle in its meshes. To accomplish this purpose the pulley on the shaft should be much larger than that on the shaft 37 whereby the lastnamed shaft may make several revolutions for every rotation of the shaft 20. In other words, the movement of the pan 34 must be sufficiently rapid to cause the sand to float and allow the mineral to settle. Since the center of the pan is lower than its extremitics, a sufficient body of water is maintained therein to permit the proper discharge of the 4 function stated. The movements of the pan are so short and rapid that the surface of the water in the pan is scarcely disturbed. The sand, however, is prevented from settling at the bottom and carried off over the ends of the pan. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a placer-machine the combination with the stationary framework, of a sluice attached thereto and formed with an opening in the bottom, the grate-bars placed in said opening, a chute below the grate-bars comprising a false bottom and side pieces connecting said bottom with the sluice; said chute terminating in a mouth comprising adepend ing flange attached to the false bottom and the dependingplate 6 attached to the sluice, together with suitable end pieces; the adjustable valve comprising a plate located in said mouth and hinged to the depending flange between the latter and the plate 6, a crank-arm for adjusting the valve, a ratchet-arm for supporting the crank-arm in any desired position of adjustment, and the concentratingbox located below the sluice and adapted to receive the discharge therefrom, substantially as described.

2. In a placer-machine, the combination with the frame, of the sluice attached thereto and formed with an opening in the bottom, the removable, longitudinal grate-bars placed in said opening, their extremities engaging recesses formed in the bottom of the sluice at the extremities of the opening, a false bottom, the adjustable valve located at the discharge extremity of the false bottom, and the oscillating concentrating-box located below the sluice and adapted to receive the discharge therefrom, substantially as described.

3. In a placer-machine, the combination with the frame and the sluice, of the box lo cated below the sluice and adapted to receive the discharge therefrom, the boxbeing lowest at the center and open at its extremities, a reservoir 28 transversely arranged at either end of the box and having anarrow elongated mouth adapted to discharge a sheet of water into the material before it leaves the box, a small box or reservoir attached to one side of the sluice which is provided with an opening communicating with the sluice-channel, said opening being covered by a screen, and a suitable conduit for connecting thebox 30 with the reservoir 28 at either end of the box, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY A. WALKER. lVitnesses: r

G. J. ROLLANDET, CHAS. E. DAWSON. 

